1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing a navigation signal, and more particularly, to a navigation signal processing apparatus and method that may receive a navigation signal from a navigation satellite and may process the received navigation signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Global Positioning System (GPS) is a unique Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that is being completely operated. The GPS was developed by the Pentagon, and is being used for military and civil purposes, such as weapon guidance, navigation, measurements, map-making, surveying, time synchronization, and the like.
Since a GPS receiving terminal becomes more common, the GPS receiving terminal is combined with a portable terminal, such as a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), an MPEG Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player, a smart phone, and the like, and is used in various fields, such as a Location-Based Service (LBS) field, a Geographic Information System (GIS) field, a field of tracking a moving target, a telematics field, and the like.
As described above, the GPS receiving terminal combined with the portable terminal that is becoming multifunctional is used, and accordingly needs for GPS receiving technologies with low power are being significantly increased in view of guarantee of durability of a terminal.
In a technology among conventional technologies for reducing power consumption in a GPS receiving terminal, a GPS signal strength is measured by a portable terminal equipped with the GPS. When the measured GPS signal strength is equal to or less than a threshold, a GPS function may be blocked. Conversely, when the measured GPS signal strength is greater than the threshold, the GPS function may be performed. Thus, it is possible to efficiently manage a power, thereby reducing power consumption.
Additionally, in another technology, a mobile phone equipped with a GPS receives a predetermined message stating whether a GPS signal is receivable in an area where the mobile phone is placed. When a message stating that the GPS signal is not receivable is received, an operation of the GPS may be stopped. Conversely, when a message stating that the GPS signal is receivable is received, the operation of the GPS may be performed. Thus, it is possible to efficiently manage a power, thereby reducing power consumption.
However, in the conventional technologies, specific environmental conditions, such as information regarding whether a navigation signal is currently receivable, or current location information of a terminal, are determined, and a power of a navigation receiving terminal is controlled. Accordingly, there is a need for a technology that may reduce an available operation amount, and power consumption, regardless of the specific environmental conditions.